A rural Queensland horse rider has been accepted into the longest and toughest ride in the world, known as the Mongol Derby, and is prepared to fundraise her way to victory.
Belinda Boshammer grew up on a property in Chinchilla with an Angus stud and a rock melon farm.
“The Mongol Derby is something you hear about for years and years and years and you think it’s cool to do but oh gosh 1000km is a long way to ride a horse,” she said.
“Basically last year I told myself to stop chickening out and just go and do it.
“I didn’t want to get later into life and think, damm I wish I had done that.”
While focusing on her training and development, Belinda is also aiming to raise $30,000 with $1500 for the Steppe and Hoof Charity in Mongolia, and the remainder to Zara’s Day, which supports the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Steve Waugh Foundation.
In August 2024, Belinda will be racing against 45 other participants in the Mongol Derby across 10 days.
During the race, participants will ride about 35 horses and will swap every 40km.
Having grown up riding horses, Belinda said horses have always been a part of her life.
“I don’t even know when I first sat on a horse, it was probably when I could sit upright or dad held me on a horse,” she said.
“It’s just been a part of my life wherever I go and I have done a couple of trips overseas and have done some riding over there.
“It’s a fantastic way to see another country.”
In August 2022, Belinda applied for the Mongol Derby Academy which is held before the current year’s race.
After a successful time at the camp, Belinda received an email for her acceptance into next year’s race.
“I was pretty ecstatic,” she said.
“I walked over and told my boss that I needed a month off next August.
“I was pretty happy about it because they had over 300 nominations, so to be part of this is an achievement.”
To prepare for the event, Belinda will be working with her personal trainer in the gym for four to five days a week.
“I change my program every two weeks and that’s a big part of it in building endurance in specific muscles that I will need and building a toughness I will need,” she said.
“I am lucky being on a farm and coming from a horse family, I can line up five or six horses a day and just keep trotting all day.
“I will be doing a fair bit of that once it cools down after summer, I will be riding up a bunch of horses from daylight to dark.”
Sponsoring Belinda is Seducci equestrian underwear.
“They support a lot of derby racers and their equestrian underwear is a key piece of equipment to have,” she said.
